Published 4:00 am, Saturday, April 29, 2000

2000-04-29 04:00:00 PDT SANTA ROSA -- Police are interviewing family and neighbors after an autopsy indicated an 11-month-old Santa Rosa boy flown to the Oakland Children's Hospital for choking actually had died from a blow to his head.

Santa Rosa Police Sgt. Tom Schwedhelm said an autopsy completed Wednesday by the Alameda County coroner's office showed that Juan Gomez Jr. of Santa Rosa was killed by blunt force trauma to his head that caused extensive swelling.

He said no arrests have been made and an investigation began Tuesday night. He said the parents, whom he declined to identify, have a 3-year-old boy and no history of domestic violence.

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Schwedhelm said the initial report at 4:26 p.m. Monday indicated that the baby, who was being watched by the mother's sister, was coughing and choking after eating crackers on the floor of a southwest Santa Rosa home. He said police believe that several people visited the home during the day.

The 27-year-old mother, who works at a nearby business, rushed over to the house and began screaming as she took the baby outside. A neighbor, who is a firefighter with the California Department of Forestry, heard her and began CPR on the infant in the front yard.

Santa Rosa firefighters then arrived, took over the CPR and transported the child to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, where his heartbeat was re-established. The baby was flown to Oakland Children's Hospital about 7 p.m. after he went into cardiac arrest. He died about 11:20 a.m. on Tuesday.

Schwedhelm said there were no signs of drugs or alcohol problems at the aunt's home.

"It is our belief that the injuries that caused the death were done on the day of the incident," he said.

Schwedhelm said the details are sketchy and police are trying to determine who visited the house Monday. They are conducting interviews in Spanish and English with the extended family and neighbors.